California welcomes millions of visitors each year to its theme parks and attractions. Thousands of employees at top destinations such as Disneyland have earned the state a well-deserved reputation for hospitality.
Many attractions employees play their roles so well that it is easy for some visitors to forget that these are real human beings greeting and helping them. Recently, many of those theme park employees have been carrying the burden of watching their homes and neighborhoods devastated by fires.
Universal Studios Hollywood closed for two days due to the smoke and disruption caused by the Eaton and Palisades fires. Six Flags Magic Mountain and the Warner Bros. Studio Tour also closed, with Warner Bros. remaining closed through the weekend. Farther from the burn zones, the Orange and San Diego county parks, including Disneyland, remained open. But their employees drive in from all over Southern California, including from the afflicted communities.
As winds calm and firefighters advance, these blazes eventually will be extinguished. But the damage caused by these fires will linger. For those who lost homes or loved ones, the effect of these fires will be lifelong.
These fires struck at the heart of Southern California’s creative communities. Pacific Palisades and Malibu might be home to many movie and TV stars, but those of us who cover or work in the theme park industry also know that Altadena long has been home to many Walt Disney Imagineers, as well as creatives working for other design firms headquartered in the Burbank, Glendale and Pasadena communities.
Every community wrecked by these fires also is home to hourly employees who work at places like theme parks, museums, theaters, hotels and restaurants. For them, recovery won’t be as easy as jetting off to another home in an unaffected community somewhere. These workers will have to take on another full-time job of rebuilding their lives as they continue to work the hours of their regular jobs to make the money they need to help them recover.
I know that more than a few people from the Pasadena area chose to evacuate to Disneyland during the fires. With abundant hotel rooms and the welcome escape of the parks, Anaheim provided a refuge for them during this horrific moment. Whether it’s visiting a theme park, going to see a movie or just walking around an indoor mall to escape the smoke, having a place of refuge can be a comfort in a time of crisis like this.
That’s why I never take for granted the people who provide us these escapes. Nor should you.
It’s OK to forget the outside world when you walk into Disneyland or Universal or another attraction. Allow the workers there to do their jobs and provide the refuge you seek. But as you sit here, reading a newspaper or website, recognize the burden than many of them are carrying at this moment. Donate to or volunteer to help any of the organizations that are working to assist those affected by the fires.
California’s creative community has been there for us. Now it is time to be there for them.